title: Observational study of two oxygen saturation targets for discharge in bronchiolitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the potential effect of two guideline discharge oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) recommendations (≥90% and ≥94%) in recovering bronchiolitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infants aged up to 18 months requiring therapeutic oxygen for SpO(2) (≤93%) had SpO(2) assessed in air every 2 h. Time from admission to re-establish feeding (>75% normal) and for SpO(2) to become stable for at least 4 h at ≥90% and ≥94% were noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  68 infants, median age 14 weeks, were included. Feeding problems resolved at a median of 11 h (inter-quartile range, IQR 0-47). SpO(2) became stable for at least 4 h at 17 h (IQR 0-49) for ≥90% and 63 h (IQR 34-105) for ≥94%. Time for infants to achieve a stable SpO(2)≥90% and resolve feeding difficulties was a median of 22 h (IQR 7-39 h) sooner than the equivalent for stable SpO(2)≥94%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accepting lower SpO(2) at discharge could significantly reduce length of stay, but require the clinical and safety effects to be studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Sciennes Road, Edinburgh, UK. steve.cunningham@nhs.net
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McMurray
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen